Ranchi: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Jaiprakash Patel on Friday stunned his party by announcing his support to the BJP-led NDA on all 14 Lok Sabha seats of Jharkahnd.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the need of the country. I appeal to supporters of my late father Teklal Mahto in all the Lok Sabha seats to vote for NDA,” he told the media in Hazaribagh.
“The grand alliance formed in the state is an alliance of vested interests,” he said, referring to the coalition between the JMM and Congress and others. “Only a BJP-led alliance can give a strong government in the state and at the Centre.”
Sources in JMM say that Patel was unhappy with the party after it denied him a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections. Patel wanted to fight from Giridih which was represented by his father from 2004 to 2009.
The JMM has sought a report from its Ramgarh and Hazaribagh district committee.
“We appeal to Patel to return to JMM fold, otherwise the party will take suitable action,” JMM General Secretary Supriyo Bhattcharya told reporters.
–IANS
